Tune IF Overview

The 2026 World Cup is underway and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. There's a long road ahead as 48 nations battle for the top prize, but which star will take home the illustrious award? Here are GOAL's predicted candidates for the prize as we keep track of the tournament's most prolific stars

France and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has opened the door to a future move to Major League Soccer, admitting he has long admired American culture and its sense of limitless ambition. The 27-year-old also joked that Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham has already started trying to recruit him to the U.S.

France star Kylian Mbappe has fiercely defended his international team-mate Ousmane Dembele following criticism of the winger's performance against Senegal. Speaking ahead of France's second 2026 World Cup fixture against Iraq, the Real Madrid forward reminded everyone of Dembele's tactical value and Ballon d'Or status, while also opening up on the pressures of captaincy and Michael Olise's impact.

Michael Olise has established himself as one of the best wingers in world football for Bayern Munich and France, but the talented attacker has surprisingly revealed that playing out wide is not his preferred role. The 24-year-old, who is currently starring at the 2026 World Cup, explained that he feels most comfortable and natural operating centrally as a traditional number 10.